The Dorklyst: The 7 Greatest Spaceships in Videogame History

Mark Filipowich

May 8, 2012

3. The Ragnarok (Final Fantasy VIII)

After overthrowing the tyrannical sorceress Adel from an unknown period of grueling, oppressive rule, the revolutionists felt the most fitting treatment for their former despot was exile. In space. Esthar built a spareworthy chamber called the Ragnarok that would orbit the planet, where Adel would be far away from her former throne. Likewise, the Ragnarok shrouded the planet in electrical interference, muting wireless communications and making it more difficult for Adel's supporters to reach her. Her imprisonment was like Napoleon's Saint Helena but in space and therefore cooler (although not as cool as it would have been had there been a robot pilot present). More than that, though, the Ragnarok was discovered by heroes Squall and Rhinoa as they're jettisoned out of a space station, short on air and ready to die, until the crimson giant floats by and slurps them up out of death's grasp. So not only is it capable of containing a feared and powerful force such as Adel, but it also manages to rescue tortured plots on the verge of implosion.

2. Gantrithor (Starcraft)

Following in the Great Fox's logic of "a spaceship containing other spaceships is awesome" and the general wisdom of "robots are cool," the Protoss carrier warships are the greatest thing since God. The carrier deploys interceptors, small drones that swarm around an enemy and pelt it to death with adorable little lasers. The Gantithor, the Protoss capital ship, plays a small but vital role at the end of StarCraft

In the final mission, after the remaining Protoss and Terran forces combine their might into a last desperate strike against the Zerg, the Gantrithor is both the spearhead of the attack and deciding factor in the battle. Not only would it be the most overpowered unit in Starcraft until every Terran unit in Starcraft 2, but the Gantrithor was the force that destroyed the Zerg overmind, allowing peace to reign in the galaxy for tens of minutes before the events of Brood War.

1. Ikaruga (Ikaruga)

The tricky thing about imperialism is that while it's a great way to expand global power and increase wealth it's also, well uh evil. So when the Horai Empire unearths an artifact that gives them the power of the gods, the outcome is fairly predictable for everyone without the right membership card. After a fruitless resistance is stomped into the dirt, only a single pilot remains. He happens to fly the one ship (or two, if playing 2-player) that can combat the imperial airforce. The Ikaruga (from Ikaruga), named after the village of Ikaruga, is a one-of-a-kind (unless you're playing 2-player  in which case, shut up, dude) space fighter that can switch between both energy poles of the Horai fleet's weapon systems. Switching between black and white energies, the Ikaruga absorbs power exploits the weaknesses of its opposite color before switching on the fly as situations demand it, making it both the most versatile fighter for the liberation front and the power source and the most boss outdoor rave generator ever.